Actor who played crime dog McGruff gets prison term in Texas

GALVESTON, Texas, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A Texas actor whose big role was McGruff, the crime-fighting dog, was sentenced to 16 years in prison this week for drug and gun crimes.

John Morales, 41, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to charges of running a sizable marijuana grow at his home in Galveston and possessing an arsenal of 27 firearms and a military grenade launcher, court documents said.

NBC News said Morales were arrested in 2011 by Galveston police who stopped him for speeding. The Houston Chronicle said a quantity of marijuana seeds plus diagrams of the grow set-up were discovered in the vehicle.

McGruff was a cartoon bloodhound who wore a trench coat and was the mascot of the National Crime Prevention Council. The real-life version of McGruff was a costumed character who made personal appearances to build crime awareness among children.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.